Electrical connectors are known in the art in which either a plug or a receptacle member of insulating material is mounted within a housing member which may be of metal and which protects the body member mounted therewithin. In one type of connector, for example, a metal housing member is adapted to be mounted on a metal wall and has open forward and rearward ends, with a body member of insulating material being inserted into the rearward end of the housing member and carrying contacts which are connected to a cable. Another body member may be inserted into the forward end of the housing member to engage contacts carried thereby with the contacts of the fixed body member.
In the assembly of the fixed body member within the housing, various connecting arrangements have been used including, for example, bayonet type arrangements in which the body member is placed at a certain angular position, pushed in and then turned a certain number of degrees. Such arrangements have been generally satisfactory but there have been problems which have not been recognized and dealt with by the designers of such connectors. One problem is that the connectors are not easily assembled and another problem is that the body member may become loosened, especially after periods of use in which there are repeated jars and vibrations. Also, the connectors are not as readily and economically manufacturable as would be desirable.
Another problem which has not been recognized and dealt with relates to the grounding of grounding contacts which has not always been as reliable as would be desirable, it being noted that secure grounding is very important for safety reasons. In this connection, the connector of this invention is particularly designed for and advantageous in use for providing connections between trailer and tractor portions of highway vehicles.